UTO Discusses Gulf Coast Rebuilding Efforts During 2006 Grant Meeting
Episcopal News Service. September 26, 2005 [092605-1-A]
Daphne Mack
A brainstorming session about ways to help those devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita was at the top of the agenda when the 12 members of the United Thank Offering (UTO) Committee met at Cathedral College in Washington, DC, September 9-19, 2005, to discuss the 2006 grant application process.
UTO is a spiritual and financial partner in the mission work of the Episcopal Church which focuses on addressing compelling human needs and expanding mission and ministry.
"We discussed how we can respond to the destruction of the hurricanes [Katrina and Rita] in the Gulf Coast," said Joy Tway, UTO Committee president.
Tway said that "UTO is not for emergency relief" but can be responsive "through our regular channels."
"We decided we can remind bishops in affected areas that they can request funds for rebuilding, in their two invited grants, and we can remind the affected provinces that they could submit a regional grant," Tway said.
According to JoAnne Chapman, UTO coordinator, grant applications, instructions and letters of invitation are mailed every October to each diocese in ECUSA and to Anglican Provinces overseas. This year, they are being mailed September 27, 2005.
"We invite all the provinces in Africa, Jerusalem and the Middle East, and Asia and Latin America," she said. "It's our way of leaving the door open for partnership."
Completed applications must be returned by January 31, 2006. Grant award notification will be made in June 2006.
"Rather than responding to big events we try to systematically and consistently offer our invitation so that everybody gets a chance, and can plan from year to year. It's a balance with ERD, but we certainly do have our way of helping with rebuilding," Chapman said.
UTO received 200 grant applications in 2004. Diocesan ingatherings resulted in gifts totaling $2,710,247.22 being granted in 2005 to 130 full or partial project or program requests.
"We encourage people to send the money in all year long as they are doing their ingatherings because it accrues a significant amount of interest which we then grant out," Chapman said. "We always grant the previous year's ingathering, so any ingathering that comes in and is postmarked by December 31, 2005 will be granted out in 2006."
Chapman said UTO tries to be responsive by "letting dioceses and provinces identify their own needs."
UTO was established in 1889 as the United Offering by the Women's Auxiliary to the Board of Missions and was primarily used to support the work of women missionaries and expansion of the church. That emphasis has broadened to include all areas of the church's work. The mission of UTO is to expand the circle of thankful people.
For more information on UTO visit http://www.episcopalchurch.org/uto/. For a grant application contact your diocesan office, or your provincial office overseas. For regional grant applications contact JoAnne Chapman at 800.334.7626 ext. 5130.